TheUltimateNavigationTool

Aviator

The Aviator is Android application – navigational tool for all aviators. Its main purpose is to help aviators to enjoy the flight and fly safely. It’s a perfect tool for powered paragliders as well as for powered hang gliders… but it could be used more or less by any aviator 🙂

Key Features

Zero-touch app. control...you have all the necessary info on one screen during flight

This is view bound to the previous ‘Next TP distance’ and it shows time to one of the:

Time to next TP – next turn point (green)

Time to destination – final destination (green)

Time to start – take-off position (red)

It shows the time based on current speed and also direction. When flying directly to the point the time is just the distance divided by the speed. Otherwise it takes into consideration the direction deviation up to an ‘infinity’ (99:59) when the time is higher or it shows ‘—‘ when flying off the point.

The vertical profile indicates current vertical situation and your position related to ground, minimal altitudes and any airspace crossing.

It’s based on your current altitude and ground level / altitude. The ground level / altitude is obtained from Aviator online(!) service which stores world wide matrix of ~230x230m squares with known altitude. The actual ground level / altitude is approximated using this matrix. It makes a short network request each time you cross current square edge to download new altitude matrix for calculation.

If the white square is in the blac area then you are flying out of any air space. If you are in the yellow or red area you are flying too low, if you are in any other color, you are in some air space.

The yellow and red altitudes can be set in the Settings screen in the Vertical profile section.

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Map view

The map view shows actual flight situation. It’s built on top of Google maps. As you can see the map view could be displayed in 2 different themes – the dark one and the light one. It’s on you to choose what’s better for you in the application Settings screen via Dark map theme option.

Legend

This is your current location. During the flight it’s normally shown in the center of the view. You can move and zoom (limited zoom levels) the map at any time.

There is a timer configurable in the Settings screen called Map location timer which always returns the view to your current location after configured number of seconds. It could be switched off by setting a zero value (not recommended).

The yellow path shows your flight path from take-off to landing. One flight could be compound of multiple flight segments (you can land, move and then take-off again). The segments are connected with a direct dotted yellow path. Any movement between the segments is not being recorded.

You can store/save and start new flight in the Flight menu.

The red and blue points show the take-off (red) and landing (blue) locations. Your flight could be compound of multiple segments where each of them has its own take-off and landing point.

Full version

Air space setup...you can de/activate each temporary restricted / segregated air space

Real time tracking / location sharing...fully available

xcontest.org integration...your flights could be uploaded to the server and registered in your contests

The Full version is being managed by Goole Play services as a yearly subscription. In order to purchase a subscription your credit card has to have enabled so called MO/TO payments. If your payment fails, check your card settings in your internet banking or in your bank / card issuer and enable the MO/TO payments.

Use the application - plan a flight... and fly!

This is a set of hints or recommendations on how to use the application, how to prepare your flight and how to use the application during the flight. The text is NOT a comprehensive list of actions you should do. You are a licensed pilot so you know how to prepare for your flight!

Before flight

First of all you should ensure that you are using the latest and actual air space configuration; download the air space definition file in any of the supported format and load it via the Air space screen into the application

De/activate temporary restricted / segregated areas in the Air space screen for the actual day

Flight plan – plan your flight, your route according to the air space and other regulations – define a set of turn points and put them into the application via the Flight plan screen

Before take-off

Disable screen lock so you don’t need to enter any PIN or other code when accidentally lock the screen during the flight

Setup Location sharing if you want to share your position with other pilots

During flight

You don’t need to do ANYTHING 🙂

Just watch the main screen – you have all the information you need for your flight on one place – on the screen.

However of course the application is fully interactive during the flight so you can do whatever you want (except few intentionally disabled functions)… and you can be sure that the application will always return back to the main screen with your position in the middle of the map view.

You CAN:

check the airpsace

check airport info

change the distance / altitude / speed / vario units

…

After landing

Your flight is now automatically stored after landing. So you can see the flight details, full track any time later. You can export the flight into KML and see it in the Google Earth or you can upload the flight to the xcontest.org server…

Limitations

Please note that the Aviator mobile application is provided AS IS without warranty of any kind. This application doesn’t fulfill any formal requirements and/or regulations and can’t be formally used as a replacement of officially required flight equipment! Author of the application and this web site does NOT accept any responsibility or liability related to using the application.

Some key aspects you have to realize before and during every flight (or any other application usage):

The application is using device's non-certified and potentially non-precision GPS and similarly potentially non-precission pressure sensors sensors for all the positioning and movement data (location, altitude, speed, bearing, climb/descend rate) with all the possible consequences of this fact (e.g. entering controlled / restricted area without permission).

Please realize what type of altitude you are using and displaying on screen. When using GPS altitude it's more or less OK below the transition level, it\'s however definitely not OK above the transition altitude (where airplanes use flight levels on standard QNH 1013 hPa / 29.92 inHg instead of AMSL altitude) - especially when flying close to bottom border of a controlled airspace and in low pressure weather (below the standard pressure). When using pressure altitude don't forget to set correct local (area) or standard QNH in the settings!

The installed air space file might not correspond to the real air space configuration. There is no (free!) automatic and reliable update functionality implemented. Always verify your flight plan against the official materials of your national aviation authorities, check actual status of all relevant temporary restricted / segregated areas, check NOTAMs, local procedures etc. This application does NOT contain such information!

The Vertical profile service shows only approximate / interpolated ground level / altitude. It calculates actual value from a matrix of cca 230x230 metres ground level matrix. And it could be very imprecise in hilly areas. Use this information only as a helper information. That's why it doesn't show any numbers. It's just for a high level awareness.